


...and the Crown Sings for It

by Arwin



Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF
Genre: King Gavin, Kings AU, Mad King Ryan
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-13
Updated: 2014-10-13
Packaged: 2018-02-21 00:03:36
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,233
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2447972
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Arwin/pseuds/Arwin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Michael had always been uneasy with the Mad King, never really believing that he wasn't a threat without the crown. He had been in favor of a more permanent solution, one that involved removing the man's head as well as his crown. But Gavin had wavered, never considering that Ryan would return to compete for the throne.</p>
<p>A loose interpretation of the end of King Gavin's reign.</p>
            </blockquote>





	...and the Crown Sings for It

**Author's Note:**

> I swear, these Minecraft King Let's Plays just lend themselves so well to over the top, way-too-dramatic fics. Enjoy!

_The crown will have its blood before this is all over._ The hissed words turned over in Gavin's mind as he stood uncertainly at the base of the pillars. It was Jack that had told him this all those years ago, when Gavin was still foolishly optimistic. Seven years ago, when Gavin had driven his sword through the Minotaur's throat and claimed his crown. At the time, he was ecstatic. He had been the one to slay Edgar and take the Mad King's throne right from under him. He was so sure that he could bring the kingdom back from the brink of darkness.

But Jack had been there, waiting for him as Gavin placed his crown atop his downy hair. "The crown will have its blood," he warned, and at the time Gavin was sure that Jack only said it to scare him. He half figured that Jack wanted to steal the crown for himself. Blinded by his youth and eagerness, Gavin had written the words off. 

For a time, things really had gone according to plan. The kingdom had breathed a sigh of relief as the Trickster King tidied up the mess made by the Mad King. Babies were born, people laughed and sang, and things seemed unnaturally bright with Gavin around. Even Ryan and the men that he had competed against for the crown were quiet, seemingly retreating back into their normal lives. Michael, his only friend throughout the trials the Mad King had given them, stayed by his side throughout his entire reign. 

But now, seven years later, tradition dictated that the old king pass the crown on. Gavin understood the Seven Year Pact, he really did - he could see the disorder creeping into the kingdom after his gentle reign. The kingdom could use some new direction, and maybe even a slightly firmer hand. What he didn't expect was that the men that had come to fight for the crown were the same ones that had fought against him all those years ago.

And then there was Ryan, who was smiling down at him from his platform. 

Michael had always been uneasy with the Mad King, never really believing that he wasn't a threat without the crown. He had been in favor of a more permanent solution, one that involved removing the man's head as well as his crown. But Gavin had wavered, never considering that Ryan would return to compete for the throne.

In some cruel twist of fate, even after all of Gavin's challenges the five men were tied. This challenge, the one that had them all towering above him in the cold dusk sky, would be the one to decide the victor. 

Gavin didn't like the look on Ryan's face.

Uneasy, he tore his gaze away to glance at Michael, who was holding his bow with tense fingers. If all went according to plan, Michael would shoot Ryan down and claim his best friend's crown. The kingdom would know uninterrupted prosperity for the first time in many years.

"Take your stances," Gavin called out, swallowing his nerves. To his credit, his voice was calm and clear - his hands were the only things that shook. Michael leveled his bow at Ryan, who in turn aimed for Jack. Geoff had his arrow trained at Michael's head, but Gavin knew that it would never reach its target. Michael was too fast for him.

"Release!" Gavin cried, squeezing his eyes shut for just a moment before resolving to watch how it would all end.

Geoff's arrow flew first, and Gavin held his breath as Michael dodged easily. Jack's arrow buried itself in Ray's side as another arrow caught Jack in the face and sent him flying. Geoff was the next to go down, felled by what looked like Ray's arrow.

"Hah!" Michael crowed, still holding his bowstring taut as he watched Ryan stand still and defenseless. "You used your arrow on the wrong person. Did you really think we'd let this kingdom fall into your hands again?"

Something was wrong, desperately wrong, but Gavin didn't even have time to scream a warning before Ryan's arrow was in Michael's throat.

The thought took the place of Gavin's heartbeat for a long second as he watched Michael stagger and fall. Then he was running, sprinting thoughtlessly toward the base of Michael's pillar _. No, no, no._ The thought was almost formless, a steady pulse of terror rather than coherent thought. 

Ryan had used his arrow already - Gavin had seen it bury itself in Jack's skull, hadn't he? _No, no, no!_

The crumpled figure in the dirt couldn't possibly be Michael. Gavin had never seen Michael bend the knee, let alone lie like with his limbs at all the wrong angles. He was too strong for this.

"Michael!" He couldn't hold back the desperate shriek as he fell to his knees and gathered his best friend into his arms. There was blood everywhere, too much blood, and Michael's eyes were already staring sightlessly toward something Gavin couldn't see.

"Please," Gavin sobbed quietly, wrapping his arms around Michael's shoulders and burying his head into his shoulder. "Please, please, please!" On the last word his voice broke, shot through with a hysterical wail that clawed its way out of his body.

Michael's skin was still warm against Gavin's cheek as his body shook with the force of his cries. His fingers roved over the other man's neck, uselessly trying to stem the blood that was seeping through his hands.

"Please don't leave me," Gavin croaked, clinging to his best friend's body as if he could somehow hold him here.

"The crown calls for blood, you know," Ryan drawled lazily, reaching around Gavin's trembling form to pluck the arrow from Michael's neck. A sudden flow of blood followed the movement, and Gavin barely had time to close his fingers desperately over the wound before Ryan kicked him savagely aside. Taken off guard, Gavin let out a strangled grunt and rolled across the dirt, still reaching for Michael.

"This simply won't do," Ryan murmured, his fingers slick with Michael's blood. "It's not quite enough, I'm afraid."

Gavin was crawling now, moving shakily back toward Michael. 'I have to save him,' he thought weakly, unwilling to face the truth.

Ryan's next kick caught him across the face, snapping his head back and rendering him motionless in the dirt.

"Please," Gavin whispered, straining to move his head from the dirt as pain swelled all around him. "Please, just give him back. If you hurry, maybe we can save him-"

His speech was abruptly caught off as Ryan planted his boot on his chest, grinding down on the other man's ribcage with a mild look.

"Do you want to know your mistake?" 

Gavin couldn't answer, blood in his mouth and in his throat and in his eyes as he struggled for breath.

"You didn't kill the king that came before you. That was very foolish." Ryan grinned, madness lighting up his eyes as he leveled his sword at Gavin's neck. "If you don't cut the crown off right at the source..." He tapped Gavin's neck for emphasis. "It never truly leaves."

And he swung the sword down, cleaving the old king's head off with one smooth motion. With the other hand he reached down to pluck the crown from Gavin's bloodied, golden locks.

"This crown was never yours to begin with."


End file.
